Perambulator

ABSTRACT

A perambulator having a body or seat mounted on a chassis, characterized by the feature that a body carrier is provided which is vertically displaceable relative to at least one frame part carrying at least one wheel and a spring member of resilient material located between the body and the upper end region of the frame part.

United States-Patent 1191 [111 3,741,579 Kirsch June 26, I973 [54]PERAMBULATOR 2,516,339 7/1950 Persson 280/36 13 3,288,482 11 9 6 [76]Invent Emsmuem" Kirsch den 3,173,396 3/1925 Poelten 5, 3472 BevewngemWeser, 795,188 7/1905 Barrat 280/41 B Germany 2,435,022 4/1948 Troendle280/47138 [221 Film 4, 97 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [21] A l. No.:95,066 6,713,834 10/1967v Netherlands 280/36 13 613,512 8/1959 ltaly280/36 B [30] Foreign Appllcatlon Priority Data Primary ExaminerBgnjamin Hersh July 4, 1970 Germany P 20 33 184.4 Assistant ExaminerRobert R. song 52 us. (:1. 280/47.38 "M [51] Int. Cl. B62b 11/00 1 [58]Field of Search 280/36 B, 41 B, 47.38, [57] ABSTRACT 280/4739. Aperambulator having a body or seat mounted on a 56 1 1 f 1 d chassis,characterized by the feature that-a body carrier 1 I m is'provided whichis vertically displaceable relative to UNITED STATES PATENTS at leastone frame part carrying at least one wheel and 2,867,448 1/1959 Mandl280/36 B a spring member of resilient material located between 3,532,3561970 Lillibridge 280/41 B the body and the upper end region of the framepart. 1,779,742 10/1930 Lines 280/363 2,798,733 3 7/1957 Gill... 280/418 17 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUNZS I915 3; 741; 579

sum 1 ur 2 Ernst Giinter Kirsch wgwj WW ATTORN YS PATENTEIJJ1|N26 lava3.741.579

sum 2 or 2 I IN VENTOR:

Ernstfiiinter Kirsch WWW/51m ATTORNEXS PERAMBULATOR The inventionrelates to a perambulator (or pushchair) having a body or seat on asprung chassis.

Various embodiments of such perambulators or pushchairs with a sprungchassis have been known hitherto.

The disadvantage of known spring suspension embodiments resides in theirrelatively involved construction and hence cost; furthermore knownspring suspensions are often inadequate with regard to their spring mg.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved perambulator orpushchair which is well sprung, in a simple and cheap manner. Preferablythe springing is adjustable.

In accordance with the invention a perambulator or pushchair of the kindreferred to above comprises a body-carrying seat support which isvertically movable relative to at least one frame member carrying atleast one wheel, with aspring element between the said seat support andframemember.

The body. carrying support may be hingedly connected on both sides totwo frame members of which one member on each side is rigidly connectedto the support and the other is hingedly connected to the support at thepivot point; alternatively the two frame members on each side may bepivoted to the support at a common point or at separate hinge points.

The invention will be further described byway of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which: I

'FIG. 1 is aside view of a 'perambulator having a pram body located on asprung chassis;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a part of the sprung chassis of FIG. 1 showingthe interconnection of parts of the chassis, the springing means andmeans for locating the pram body on the chassis;

FIG.'3 is a side view of a part of a modified chassis having two supportmembers hingedly mounted at a common point;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a part of a modified chassis having twosupporting members hingedly connected at separate hinge points; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of a part of a ing a rigid supporting member.

Referring to FIGS. 1 anc'l' 2, a perambulator or pushfurther chassishavchair with a chassis 10 .hasa pram body or seat 14 fixedly'orremovably located thereon. This chassis 10 has a frame member 15receiving the pram body 14, and is vertically displaceable relative toat least one of the frame members 17, 23, each of which carries onewheel 22, 24. Below the body there is a spring element 21 (FIGLZ) madeof a resilient material such as rubber or plastics material betweenframe members 17 and 23. In FIG. 2 the body 14 is connected rigidly atthe front to a side frame member 23 and hingedly connected to a secondside frame member 17. It should of course be noted that'equivalentlyshaped frame members 23 and 17 are also provided on the other side ofthe perambulator.

The chassis 11 (see FIG. 3) shows two frame members 18, 19 hingedlyconnected to a base plate 26, the said frame members carrying front andrear wheels 22 or 24 as before. The frame members are connected to theplate 26 at a common hinge point 25 and sprung by spring members 21arranged on both sides of the hinge point 25 (seen in the direction oftravel) relative to the plate 26. The plate carries an upper or supportmember 16.

FIG. 4 shows a modified chassis 12 corresponding in basic structure tothe chassis 11; here the two frame members 18, 19 each have anindividual hinge point 25, the points being slightly spaced apart on theplate 26. To the front and rear of these hinge points 25 there is aresilient spring member 21 between the plate 26 and each frame member18, 19.

The chassis 13 (see FIG. 5) has a single rigid frame member 20 on eachside, the said members each carrying one front and one rear wheel. Theframe member is formed at a hinge point 25 to the plate 26 and sprungrelative the plate 26 by a spring member 21 one of which is located oneach side of this hinge point 25.

The spring member or members 21 are slidable towards or away from thehinge point 25, so that by varying the spacing of the spring member 21relative to the hinge-point the softness or rigidity of the springsuspension may be varied.

This adjustment is made by means of a screw 28 displaceable in a slot 27formed in the plate 26 and extending in the direction of travel. Anelement to be actuated without the use of tools such as a hand screw ortension lever or the like is preferably provided as a fixing means 28;thus a screw used as adjusting means can pass through the spring member21 and be fixed by a nut.

The spring part 21 has a rectangular cross-section and is formed in theform of a plate or strip; it is preferable for the spring part to tapertowards the end adjacent to the hinge point 25; thus the spring part 21due to its wedge shape constitutes a buffer member and the wedge formhas a favorable effect on the resilience on the suspension.

As shown by the embodiments in the drawings, the supporting parts 17,18, 19, 20 and 23 are formed as struts from metal tubes. On each side ofthe pram two struts, one behind the other and diverging downwards,extend as supporting parts 17, 23 and 18, 19.

The seat carrier 15, 16 is formed from two lateral struts or tubes 15a,16a and comprises two handle members 29 pointing upwardly at an acuteangle relative to the carrier plane. The handle members oneach side areinterconnected by a fixed or sliding handle 30.

The two side members 15a, 16a, of the carrier 15, 16 may beinterconnected at the front of the pram so that the carrier 15, 16 formsan integral U-shaped part.-

In the chassis embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the side members 15a of thecarrier 15 merge into the downwardly extending support parts 23 and eachof the lateral side members 15a or the whole carrier 15 with a supportpart 23 or both support parts 23 forms a single integral whole, bentfrom one piece of tube. The carrier 15, 16 may alternatively be formedas a plate or a frame.

At the front and rear of the carrier side members 15,

16 there is a rod, tube or flat bar interconnecting them to act asbearings 31 for the pram body 14. The pram body 14 is supported on thesebearings 31 and is retained detachably on the carrier members 15, 16 bya fork 32 provided on the plate 26.

This plate is formed as a U-shaped yoke overlapping each side member15a, 16a and secured thereto by welding or screwing, the yoke receivingthe frame parts 17, 18, 19, 20 between its downwardly extending anddownwardly opened U-shanks. These two U-shanks of each holding part 26define the hinge point or points 25 and are provided with a slit 27 inone or both U-shanks. The underside of the members a, 16a presents asupporting surface for the springs 21 and the region 17a, 18a, 19a, 20aof each frame part 17, 18, 19 and 20 supports the spring 21. The lowerfree ends of the frame members 17, 23; 18, 19; 20 are retained spacedapart by a rigidly mounted wheel axle 22a, 24a from their counterpartson the other side of the pram. These wheel axles 22a, 24a carrydetachable or fixed wheels 22, 24.

The two supporting parts 17, 23; 18, 19 on each side of the pram chassis10, 11, 12 and below the carrier plate 26 are each secured by acollapsible device in their work position against accidental collapse.This device consists of two links 34, 35 hingedly interconnected at acommon hinge point 33 and mounted displaceably on the supporting parts17, 23; 18, 19. The link 34 at its end remote from the hinge point 33 ishinged at point 36 on the frame part 23, 18 and the link 35 at its endremote from the hinge point 33 has an elongated slot or hole 37 formedtherein with which it engages a pin 38 acting as a hinge point.

A gaiter 39 surrounds the links 34, 35.

Due to the spring parts 21 located on both sides of the pram, shocks orimpacts due to passage over uneven ground are absorbed. The elongatedhole 37 of the levers 35 permits the frame parts 17, 23 and 18, 19 topivot about their common hinge point or about both hinge points 25 thispivotal movement being limited by the length of the slot 37; thespringing effect occurs within this pivotal movement.

If the links 34, 35 are collapsed at their connecting point 33 upwardsor downwards, the chassis 10, 12 can be folded, the frame parts 17, 23,18, 19 moving towards one another. During this folding movement thespring part 21 is retained by the locating means 28 against theunderside of the carrier members 15, 16; only the frame parts 17, 18, 19are pivoted away from the spring part 21.

In place of the spring elements 21 made of a resilient material, flatsprings may be used.

In a further embodiment, not shown, the frame parts 17, 23, 18, 19 areformed as plates, or the integral side part 20 may be formed as a plate.

In a further embodiment, not shown, there is a plateshaped supportingpart at the front and rear taking the place of frame parts 17, 23, l8,19, 20, the plates being bent over at their tops to extend below thecarriers 15, 16.

A spring suspension in accordance with the invention may be used inchildrens vehicles such as tricycles.

I claim 1. A perambulator comprising a chassis arranged to support amember,such as a pram body or seat, a body carrier member mounted on twoof the opposite sides of said chassis, said body carrier memberincluding means for pushing and guiding the perambulator, a pair ofchassis legs connected to each said body carrier member and each of saidlegs having a portion extending downwardly from said body carriermember, a wheel mounted on the lower end of each of said chassis legs,at least one of said chassis legs having a substantially horizontallyextending section pivotally mounted to said body carrier member with theupper surface of said horizontally extending section located below adownwardly facing portion of said body carrier member, and a springmember located between the upper surface of said horizontally extendingsection and the superjacent downwardly facing portion of said bodycarrier member, said spring member acts as a buffer member and is formedof a rubber-like resilient material for providing the perambulatorsuspension.

2. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring memberis formed of one of rubber and plastics material.

3. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said chassislegs is bent at an intermediate location along its longitudinaldirection providing each of said chassis legs with one saidsubstantially horizontally extending section and a downwardly extendingsection with the downwardly extending sections of said chassis legsconnected to one said body carrier member being disposed in downwardlydiverging relationship, a wheel bearing provided at the lower end ofeach of said downwardly extending sections of said carrier legs, andeach of said horizontally extending sections of said chassis legs ispivotally connected to said body carrier member.

4. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 3, wherein each of said chassislegs connected to a common said body carrier member are pivoted theretoat a common pivot point, at least one said spring member associated witheach of said chassis legs and each said spring member is spaced fromsaid common povot point and is positioned between said common pivotpoint and the bend in said chassis leg with which it is associated whichseparates the horizontally extending section of said chassis leg fromits downwardly extending section.

5. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said chassislegs associated with a common said body carrier member is pivotallyconnected to said body carrier member at a different pivot point, saidpivot points being located slightly spaced apart, and at least one saidspring member associated with each of said chassis legs and said springmember being spaced from the pivot point which pivotally connects saidchassis leg with which it is associated to said body carrier member andfrom the bend in said chassis leg which divides said chassis leg ontoits horizontally extending section and downwardly extending section.

6. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said chassislegs associated with a common said body carrier member is interconnectedforming a unitary U-shaped legs member with the downwardly extending legportions thereof disposed in downwardly diverging relationship, a wheelaxle bearing located at the lower end of each of said leg portions, saidlegs member being pivotally mounted to said body carrier member and apair of said spring members disposed in spaced relationship from oneanother and each located on an opposite side of the pivot point whichpivotally connects said legs member to said body carrier memher.

7. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the other one ofsaid chassis legs associated with a common said body carrier member isintegrally connected to said means for pushing and guiding saidperambulator which means are secured to said body carrier member.

8. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said bodycarrier member extending in the normal direction of travel of theperambulator and having at least one slot elongated in the direction ofthe normal direction of travel of the perambulator, a locating meansassociated with each spring member and extending through one said slot,said locating means including a screw member in engagement with saidspring member and arranged to extend through and to be secured to saidbody carrier member.

9. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 7, whereinsaid spring memberhas a plate-like configuration with a rectangular cross section.

10. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 8, wherein each said springmember having a first end closer to the pivot point which pivotallyconnects its associated said chassis leg to said body carrier member anda second end spaced from said first end in the normal direction ofmovement of said perambulator, and the sides of said spring membertapering inwardly from said second end to said first end.

11. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the upper surfaceof the horizontallyextending section of said chassis leg whichcontactssaid spring member is curved for forming a supporting surfacefor said I spring member.

12. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said chassis legspivotally connected to said body carrier member are verticallyadjustable relative to said body carrier member.

13. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means forpushing and guiding the perambulator comprises a strut secured to eachsaid body carrier member and extending from said body carrier member inthe direction opposite to the normal forward movement direction of theperambulator, said strut being arranged in the substantially horizontalposition in the normal travel condition of the perambulator andrearwardly of said body carrier plate being bent upwardly obliquely tothe horizontal and interconnected to the other said strut associatedwith the other said carrier member by a substantially horizontallyextending strut section at the upper ends of the obliquely disposedsections.

14. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 13, wherein a pair of bearingrods are secured to and extend between the horizontally extendingportions of said struts secured to said body carrying members forforming a support for the member supported on the chassis.

15. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said body carriermember comprises a U-shaped plate elongated in the normal direction ofmovement of the perambulator and having its opening facing downwardly sothat the sides of said plate extend downwardly at least to the bottomsurface of the horizontally extending section of said chassis legpivoted thereto.

16. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said U-shapedplate having a device secured to and extending upwardly from the uppersurface thereof for positionally and detachably fixing the member onsaid carrier which is supported by said chassis.

17. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a device ispositioned between each of the chassis legs connected to a common saidbody carrier member and said device comprises a pair of links connectedtogether and a common hinge point with one said link connected to saidchassis leg at the front end of the perambulator and the other said linkhaving a slot therein through which it is displaceably pivotallyconnectible to said chassis leg on the rearward end of the perambulator,and a gaitor enclosing both of said links.

1. A perambulator comprising a chassis arranged to support a member,suchas a pram body or seat, a body carrier member mounted on two of theopposite sides of said chassis, said body carrier member including meansfor pushing and guiding the perambulator, a pair of chassis legsconnected to each said body carrier member and each of said legs havinga portion extending downwardly from said body carrier member, a wheelmounted on the lower end of each of said chassis legs, at least one ofsaid chassis legs having a substantially horizontally extending sectionpivotally mounted to said body carrier member with the upper surface ofsaid horizontally extending section located below a downwardly facingportion of said body carrier member, and a spring member located betweenthe upper surface of said horizontally extending section and thesuperjacent downwardly facing portion of said body carrier member, saidspring member acts as a buffer member and is formed of a rubber-likeresilient material for providing the perambulator suspension.
 2. Aperambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring member isformed of one of rubber and plastics material.
 3. A perambulator, as setforth in claim 1, wherein each of said chassis legs is bent at anintermediate location along its longitudinal direction providing each ofsaid chassis legs with one said substantially horizontally extendingsection and a downwardly extending section with the downwardly extendingsections of said chassis legs connected to one said body carrier memberbeing disposed in downwardly diverging relationship, a wheel bearingproVided at the lower end of each of said downwardly extending sectionsof said carrier legs, and each of said horizontally extending sectionsof said chassis legs is pivotally connected to said body carrier member.4. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 3, wherein each of said chassislegs connected to a common said body carrier member are pivoted theretoat a common pivot point, at least one said spring member associated witheach of said chassis legs and each said spring member is spaced fromsaid common povot point and is positioned between said common pivotpoint and the bend in said chassis leg with which it is associated whichseparates the horizontally extending section of said chassis leg fromits downwardly extending section.
 5. A perambulator, as set forth inclaim 4, wherein each of said chassis legs associated with a common saidbody carrier member is pivotally connected to said body carrier memberat a different pivot point, said pivot points being located slightlyspaced apart, and at least one said spring member associated with eachof said chassis legs and said spring member being spaced from the pivotpoint which pivotally connects said chassis leg with which it isassociated to said body carrier member and from the bend in said chassisleg which divides said chassis leg onto its horizontally extendingsection and downwardly extending section.
 6. A perambulator, as setforth in claim 1, wherein each of said chassis legs associated with acommon said body carrier member is interconnected forming a unitaryU-shaped legs member with the downwardly extending leg portions thereofdisposed in downwardly diverging relationship, a wheel axle bearinglocated at the lower end of each of said leg portions, said legs memberbeing pivotally mounted to said body carrier member and a pair of saidspring members disposed in spaced relationship from one another and eachlocated on an opposite side of the pivot point which pivotally connectssaid legs member to said body carrier member.
 7. A perambulator, as setforth in claim 1, wherein the other one of said chassis legs associatedwith a common said body carrier member is integrally connected to saidmeans for pushing and guiding said perambulator which means are securedto said body carrier member.
 8. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1,wherein each said body carrier member extending in the normal directionof travel of the perambulator and having at least one slot elongated inthe direction of the normal direction of travel of the perambulator, alocating means associated with each spring member and extending throughone said slot, said locating means including a screw member inengagement with said spring member and arranged to extend through and tobe secured to said body carrier member.
 9. A perambulator, as set forthin claim 7, wherein said spring member has a plate-like configurationwith a rectangular cross section.
 10. A perambulator, as set forth inclaim 8, wherein each said spring member having a first end closer tothe pivot point which pivotally connects its associated said chassis legto said body carrier member and a second end spaced from said first endin the normal direction of movement of said perambulator, and the sidesof said spring member tapering inwardly from said second end to saidfirst end.
 11. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 9, wherein theupper surface of the horizontally extending section of said chassis legwhich contacts said spring member is curved for forming a supportingsurface for said spring member.
 12. A perambulator, as set forth inclaim 4, wherein said chassis legs pivotally connected to said bodycarrier member are vertically adjustable relative to said body carriermember.
 13. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said meansfor pushing and guiding the perambulator comprises a strut secured toeach said body carrier member and extending from said body carriermember in the direction opposite to the normal forward movementdirEction of the perambulator, said strut being arranged in thesubstantially horizontal position in the normal travel condition of theperambulator and rearwardly of said body carrier plate being bentupwardly obliquely to the horizontal and interconnected to the othersaid strut associated with the other said carrier member by asubstantially horizontally extending strut section at the upper ends ofthe obliquely disposed sections.
 14. A perambulator, as set forth inclaim 13, wherein a pair of bearing rods are secured to and extendbetween the horizontally extending portions of said struts secured tosaid body carrying members for forming a support for the membersupported on the chassis.
 15. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1,wherein said body carrier member comprises a U-shaped plate elongated inthe normal direction of movement of the perambulator and having itsopening facing downwardly so that the sides of said plate extenddownwardly at least to the bottom surface of the horizontally extendingsection of said chassis leg pivoted thereto.
 16. A perambulator, as setforth in claim 15, wherein said U-shaped plate having a device securedto and extending upwardly from the upper surface thereof forpositionally and detachably fixing the member on said carrier which issupported by said chassis.
 17. A perambulator, as set forth in claim 1,wherein a device is positioned between each of the chassis legsconnected to a common said body carrier member and said device comprisesa pair of links connected together and a common hinge point with onesaid link connected to said chassis leg at the front end of theperambulator and the other said link having a slot therein through whichit is displaceably pivotally connectible to said chassis leg on therearward end of the perambulator, and a gaitor enclosing both of saidlinks.